00:00That's why you should never stretch the piriformis muscle when it has trigger points,
00:04which causes that myofascial pain that radiates into the buttock and down the leg
00:09and feels like your sciatic nerve is inflamed.
00:12I'm Alessandro Mota, and I'm here to help you and the people you care about
00:16relieve pain at home and improve their health through a healthy movement.
00:19The piriformis isn't just about the sciatic nerve.
00:22When it accumulates tension, it interferes with hip movement and throws the spine out of balance.
00:27You can see this in people who walk with one foot turned outward,
00:30people who, when they lie down, one foot stays raised while the other seems to go limp,
00:34or when you lie on your stomach with your legs bent and one side just doesn't seem to relax.
00:39This imbalance can cause inflammatory conditions such as gluteus medial stendinitis,
00:44gluteus minimus stendinitis, hip bursitis, and it can also cause wear and tear
00:49such as osteoarthritis, bulging, protrusion, herniated disc, and, of course, the familiar pain of sciatica.
00:55But the big problem in treating the piriformis is when it develops tension points or trigger points
01:00and every muscle that has a trigger point is hyperactivated.
01:04It's as if the muscle is on high alert and any movement makes it contract and lock up.
01:11That's why a lot of people get worse and feel more pain when they try to stretch this muscle.
01:16And the next phase is the release.
01:18This is the phase that needs the most care
01:20because you can't force it too much and risk making your piriformis hyperactive again.
01:26You're going to need a chair.
01:28Stand facing the chair.
01:30Rest the leg you want to stretch on it.
01:33Slowly turn your body until you feel a gentle stretch in the piriformis area.
01:39I place your hand on the outside of your knee, on the outside of your leg,
01:43and use just a little force as if you were trying to move your leg out to the side
01:47and push your knee outward and your hand stops it.
01:50Just a little force.
01:51You'll feel it contract here in your glutes.
01:54Hold for three seconds and relax.
01:56Repeat this ten times.
01:59Keep coming.
02:01Keep coming.
